Best Online Veterinarians

Vetster is the best online veterinarian with a marketplace-based approach

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Collage of a veterinarian listening to a dog's heart on a colorful background

Spruce Pets / Amelia Manley

The best online veterinarians are essentially a virtual house call for your pet. And over the past few years, dozens of telemedicine-based, online-only vet care providers have sprung up, most of them offering 24/7 access and the ability to chat or set up a video appointment with a veterinary professional.

While an online telehealth session is still no substitute for a face-to-face appointment with your vet, these services are a great way to get fast answers to questions about your pet’s diet, behavioral issues, and other health concerns—especially if you’re not sure whether or not to take your furry friend in for a physical exam. Wondering where to begin? Check out our picks for the best online veterinarians below.

Best Online Veterinarians of 2023

Best Overall: Vetster

Vetster

Vetster

Key Specs

  • Services: 24/7 on-demand vet appointments, prescription service (only available in some U.S. states), wellness plan
  • Unique Features: Curated collection of pet telehealth news and resources
  • Cost: Starting at $50, but pricing will vary by vet and location

Why We Chose It

Vetster uses a marketplace-based approach to virtually connect you with vet care professionals in your area.

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Ability to choose between vets and vet techs

  • Emphasis on finding medical professionals near you

  • Profiles and review systems add confidence

Cons
  • Some areas have fewer vet options

Overview

Vetster’s approach to telehealth may remind some people of Rover, the enormously popular app for finding pet sitters. The site allows users to search for veterinary professionals in their area and make telehealth appointments with the push of a button.

Unlike most other online vet services, Vetster lets you choose from vet techs as well as veterinary doctors, giving you more control over pricing depending on the urgency or need for the appointment.

Vetster’s interface is easy to use, and it’s usually possible to make an appointment for the same day. We also love that users on the medical professional side fill out profile details listing their professional designations, key areas of interest, and whether they can consult on certain issues.

Best With Brick and Mortar: Banfield Vet Chat

Banfield Vet Chat

Banfield Vet Chat

Key Specs

  • Services: Virtual office visit, 24/7 live vet chat, nutritional coaching session
  • Unique features: Price estimator tool
  • Cost: Wellness plans can start at $36.95 per month for dogs and $29.95 per month for cats, depending on age, breed, location, and other factors

Why We Chose It

Banfield Pet Hospital is an established veterinary care provider with over 1,000 locations across the country.

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • 24/7 vet access

  • Well-designed app

  • Continuity between in-person and digital experiences

Cons
  • Must enroll in wellness plan

  • Text-only chat

Overview

With locations in every state, Banfield Pet Hospital is one of the nation’s most popular vet care providers. If your furry friend is already a patient at one of its brick-and-mortar locations, you can complement their in-person care with the Vet Chat feature on the Banfield app. This tool provides around-the-clock access to a real vet, simplifying the question of whether or not to rush to urgent care after your dog eats a bag of cheese puffs.

Vet Chat is easy to use, with a text-based interface that’s also accessible on the Banfield website. The ability to use the same service for online advice and real-world visits is also a major plus, creating consistency for your pet’s care plan.

The only real drawback is that even if you’re already a Banfield patient, you must enroll in the company’s Optimum Wellness Plan in order to use the Vet Chat service. Visit Banfield's website for an estimated pricing calculator; monthly costs vary based on your pet’s species, age, location, and whether they are spayed or neutered.

Best Affordable: PetCoach

PetCoach

PetCoach

Key Specs

  • Services: Online consultation and expert forum
  • Unique features: Ask a Vet, Educational Center, healthy pet weight calculator
  • Cost: $20 live chat consult; $5 per question submitted to forum

Why We Chose It

PetCoach is a great resource with a huge amount of free content around veterinary health as well as an easy-to-use “Ask a Vet” feature.

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • More affordable than other telehealth services

  • Often publishes questions asked by users (with responses from vets)

  • Available as an app

Cons
  • Some services are buried in the site

  • Content pages not organized by pet type

Overview

Traditional vet care can be pricey, and telehealth services for your pet can often be as well. For a more affordable option, check out PetCoach, an online and app-based provider that lets users submit questions to a vet whenever they like, or arrange for a private telehealth appointment.

We love that PetCoach publishes a vast amount of content around a variety of veterinary care topics, including many of the questions and responses submitted by the app’s users.

If there’s one drawback, it’s that the site can be difficult to navigate, with few filters to separate content by pet type or condition (and tracking down vet profiles to set up consultations is also surprisingly tricky). However, the app is well-designed and generally easier to use.

Best for Prescriptions: Hello Ralphie

Hello Ralphie

Hello Ralphie

Key Specs

  • Services: Online consultation, can fill prescriptions
  • Unique features: Chats with vets can be saved
  • Cost: Appointments range from $35 to $55; buy a bundle and save option

Why We Chose It

Hello Ralphie is a great, app-based platform for veterinary telehealth that also has an extensive online prescription service.

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Ability to make an appointment for prescription or just advice

  • Saves vet chats and records for added continuity

  • Can fill prescriptions through the same service

Cons
  • Must read the fine print for prescription appointments

Overview

It’s no secret that services like 1-800-PetMeds are a great way of fulfilling your pet’s prescriptions online. Hello Ralphie combines the convenience of an online vet pharmacy with telemedicine, making it easy to pair your next remote visit with a medication order. Appointments can be scheduled online or through the Hello Ralphie app. Your conversation and medical records will be stored for future reference.

One thing to be aware of is that the service draws a distinction between the terms “telehealth” and “telemedicine,” and only appointments falling under the latter category can include a prescription or diagnosis. Bear in mind also that not every state allows vets to perform telemedicine, so do your research before scheduling an appointment.

Best Subscription: whiskerDocs

Whisker Docs

Whisker Docs

Key Specs

  • Services: 24/7 chat, phone, and text messaging
  • Unique features: Health library
  • Cost: $16.99 per month or $129.99 per year subscriptions; $39.99 per call or live chat consultation; $4.99 per email consultation

Why We Chose It

whiskerDocs offers a convenient monthly subscription so you can have access to vet professionals anytime you need.

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Offers a subscription service if you frequently need vet care

  • Options for single visits without a subscription

  • 24/7 access to a vet

Cons
  • No ability to get a prescription

Overview

If you find yourself constantly coming up with questions for your vet, a subscription-based service like whiskerDocs may be a great option. This web-based veterinary service connects you to a vet or a vet tech via email, phone, or chat and is available 24/7. If your question is not urgent, you can opt for an email response, but it will take about four hours to hear back.

whiskerDocs can answer questions and give guidance about your pet’s health, but it cannot prescribe medicine. It has options for both subscriptions and one-time visits. Plans are based on a single pet, but you can add additional pets for a discount. Basically, whiskerDocs is a great choice for anyone who wants 24/7 access to a vet for a single price.

Final Verdict

While an online vet appointment should not be considered a substitute for an in-person visit, it can be a great way to get answers quickly or determine whether or not you need to rush to the vet’s office.

When it comes to the best online veterinarians out there, Vetster comes up on top. It offers 24/7 access to certified medical professionals with a user-friendly site that makes booking a virtual consultation quick and easy. Plus, it gives you the option to consult with a veterinarian doctor or a vet tech, depending on the urgency of your visit and your budget. But if you're looking for a more affordable option or one that's subscription-based, there are also PetCoach and whiskerDocs, respectively.

Compare the Best Online Veterinarians

 Veterinarian  Services Unique Features Cost
Best Overall: Vetster 24/7 on-demand vet appointments, prescription service (only available in some US states), wellness plan Curated collection of pet telehealth news and resources Starting at $50, but pricing will vary by vet and location.
Best With Brick and Mortar: Banfield Vet Chat Virtual office visit, 24/7 live vet chat, nutritional coaching session Price estimator tool Wellness plans start at $36.95/month for dogs and $29.95/ month for cats
Best Budget-Friendly Option: PetCoach Online consultation and expert forum Ask a Vet, educational center, healthy pet weight calculator $20 live chat consult; $5/question submitted to forum
Best for Prescriptions: Hello Ralphie Online consultation, can fill prescriptions Chats with vets can be saved Appointments range from $35 to $55; buy a bundle and save option
Best Subscription: whiskerDocs 24/7 chat, phone, and text messaging Health library $16.99/month or $129.99/year subscriptions; $39.99 call or live chat consultations; $4.99 email consultations
FAQ
  • How much does a vet video visit cost?

    Online technology has made it much easier to access a vet anytime you need it. Chatting with a veterinarian online or by video can help answer pressing questions and determine whether you need to take your pet to your local vet. Prices for online visits range based on the service but expect to pay between $30 and $60 for a visit. Some services offer subscriptions so you can pay a single monthly or yearly fee for unlimited access to a professional.

  • Can I get pet prescriptions online?

    Some online vets do offer prescriptions, but not all states allow them so it is important to research your state's regulations. If you visit an in-person vet, you can often ask them to send a prescription to an online pet pharmacy such as Chewy.com or 1-800-PetMeds to have it filled and delivered to your door. This can sometimes be cheaper than buying directly through your local veterinarian’s office.

  • What states allow online vet prescriptions?

    To determine the VCPR laws of every U.S. state—including whether online vet prescriptions are permitted—refer to the interactive map provided by the Veterinary Virtual Care Association.

  • How do I know if my pet needs to see a vet?

    Any change in your pet’s behavior should be evaluated. If your pet is sleeping more than normal, not eating, or acting unusual, it’s important to get them the right care. You know your pet best, so if you recognize something is off, you should call your vet. Sometimes, minor concerns can be addressed via an online veterinarian, but emergencies should always be dealt with in person.

  • Is a virtual vet worth it?

    If you're unable to get to the vet's office and you're not dealing with a medical emergency, a virtual vet visit can be a great option. It's a convenient way to receive a professional consultation and get advice on any pet health questions you may have. To make the most of a virtual visit, make sure to investigate the veterinarian first, especially regarding which services are offered and for how much.

Methodology

It can be difficult to determine what distinguishes one online veterinarian service from another, and some have websites that are low on key information (or seem more interested in pushing dog treats or other extras). We chose online vets who simplified the process of finding and connecting with a qualified medical professional, with the highest marks going to services that had a great user experience.